The present invention relates to outdoor charcoal cooking apparatus, and more particularly relates to a cooking apparatus having a charcoal heating unit and having multiple rearrangeable chambers nestable on the heating unit for creating different atmosphere-controlled heating conditions, such as for “moisture-captured” cooking, smoking, steaming, grilling, and variations and combinations thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,295 discloses a charcoal and water smoker and cooker having a tubular body with a closed dome top. The cooker is designed to better control temperature within the cooker, as compared to open grills, and further is designed with upper and lower grills that provide different cooking positions. However, the cooker in the '295 patent is more limited in its capabilities and function than is desired. For example, there is basically only one cooking chamber. Further, the top is not secured to the bottom heating unit, such that the cooker cannot be easily moved as a unit once the charcoal is burning. Also, although the cooker includes a thermometer, temperature is still difficult to control, especially when foods are being cooked that require different temperatures and/or separation from other foods during the cooking process. For example, the cooker disclosed in the '295 patent cannot simultaneously cook meat, warm bread, and bake a pie.
As noted in the '295 patent, prior art grills have difficulty controlling temperature and require constant attention. Hence, there is a desire for an outdoor cooking device that is better able to accommodate different foods and that is able to cook them under more controlled and uniform heating conditions. There is also a need for an outdoor cooker that is flexible and adaptable to different needs and types of cooking, and able to satisfy different tastes, including the ability to smoke, steam (with or without seasonings), fry, grill, bake, and warm. Preferably, any such outdoor cooker should not complicated, but instead should be easy and intuitive to use, and cost-effective to manufacture so that it is affordable. It is also desirable for the cooker to have optional features, such that “high-end” and “low-end” models can be offered for sale.
An important consideration is that the cooker provide good management of heat flow (convection, conduction, radiation), and good control of the charcoal burn. Also, the cooker should control moisture and flow of flavoring (smoking, seasoning vapors, steam, etc.) during the cooking process. It is desirable to provide a cooker that facilitates keeping food hot without “over-cooking”, and that facilitates food delivery (carrying to an eating site and/or intermittent food distribution spread over a block of time). One important consideration is management of grease and fluids that drip from food while being cooked. It is important in cookers to avoid a burned-grease taste, and to avoid grease fires. One way is to direct the grease to a collection location separate from the charcoal fire but in a safe place where it will not catch fire or be spilled. However, this must be done without unacceptably complicating the cooker.
Accordingly, an outdoor cooking apparatus is desired having the aforementioned advantages and that overcome the aforementioned disadvantages.